Kawhātau River
The Kawhātau River is a river of about in the southwestern North Island of New Zealand. Its source is in the Ruahine Range and its outflow is into the larger Rangitīkei River, which it meets close to Mangaweka. It was given the official name of Kawhātau River in 2020. It is joined by the Pourangaki River at Upper Kawhātau.
Geology
Like other parts of the Rangitīkei River system, the Kawhātau has been incised into the soft Quaternary, 3.5 to 1.7 million year old marine mudstones and sandstones, as the land has risen since the last ice age. A large proportion of the sediment in the Rangitīkei comes from the Kawhātau. Gravel has long been taken from the river.History
Māori skeletons and moa bones were discovered near the river when the bush was being burnt.Felling of bush in the valley was first begun by 12 settlers from Timaru on in 1895. At that time the only access was by a cage suspended on a wire rope across the Rangitīkei from Mangaweka. Kawhātau Valley Road was being built by 1898. Sawmilling of totara started about 1900 By 1905 it was also milling mataī and kahikatea. St Stephen's Anglican church was built about 1917. Possum were released into the bush in 1923 at Hinakura. The area is now mainly one of sheep and beef farming, plus 3 commercial fruit and vegetable growers.